The company has also established the Pfizer enCompass program, "a comprehensive reimbursement service and patient support program offering coding and reimbursement support for providers, co-pay assistance to eligible patients who have commercial insurance that covers Inflectra, and financial assistance for eligible uninsured and underinsured patients."

The reimbursement price took effect on January 1. The wholesale acquisition cost does not include discounts to providers, payers, and other groups involved in purchasing.

Recently, Douglas White, MD, PhD, of the Committee on Rheumatologic Care of the American College of Rheumatology told MedPage Today that the college hopes that the availability of biosimilars lowers the cost of biologics and improves patient access to these therapies. "We remain cautiously optimistic about biosimilars, including Inflectra," he said.

Since Inflectra was approved, there have been legal disputes between manufacturers and uncertainty as to the interchangeability status of biosimilars as well as regulations about switching between original biologics and biosimilars.

Two other biosimilar agents for use in rheumatology have also been approved: Erelzi, a biosimilar to etanercept (Enbrel), and Amjevita, a biosimilar to adalimumab (Humira). Pfizer has its own adalimumab biosimilar in development; the company said Thursday that it had met its primary endpoints in a randomized trial comparing it to Humira.